APPLING, Ga. (Oct. 15, 2007) - Boater Eddie Herlong Sr. of Prosperity, S.C., earned a fully rigged Ranger 198VX and a new Chevy truck Saturday as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Ga. The top 40 boaters and the top 40 co-anglers from the Choo Choo, Gator, South Carolina and Ozark divisions competed in the three-day event.
Herlong's winning three-day catch of 14 bass weighed 30 pounds, 7 ounces. In addition to the new truck and boat, Herlong earned a ticket to the 2008 $1 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American on the Connecticut River in Hartford, Conn., May 29-31. With a top boater award of $140,000 and a top co-angler award of $70,000. The winning boater and co-angler at the All-American will also advance to the $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 14-17.
Herlong caught his winning bass by throwing a lizard near shallow wood.
The top six boaters and the top six co-anglers at the regional championship earned a spot to compete in the All-American. Rounding out the top six boaters were John Bitter of Maitland, Fla. (13 bass, 28-09, $4,000); Lee Pitts of Gaylesville, Ala (13 bass, 28-09, $2,000); Greg Rikard of Leesville, S.C. (15 bass, 28-08, $1,600); Keith Buterbaugh of Douglasville, Ga. (13 bass, 28-00, $1,200); and Jim Street of Roan Mountain, Tenn. (14 bass, 27-13, $1,000).
Robert Crosnoe of Inverness, Fla. earned a new Ranger boat as the co-angler winner, thanks to a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces that he caught on a Carolina rig near Little River.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Dean Talbert of Albemarle, N.C. (12 bass, 17-11, $2,000); Tommy Lindler of Lexington, S.C. (11 bass, 17-09, $1,000); Allan Williams of Moncks Corner, S.C. (nine bass, 17-00, $800); Gary Saxarra of Eustis, Fla. (nine bass, 16-01, $600); and Jackie Barber of Cocoa, Fla. (eight bass, 15-14, $500).